


Trust Is Worth A Thousand Words

by oliverlandomens (TheGremlin)



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), RE8, Resident Evil, resident evil village
Genre: F/F, I'm Bad At Tagging, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Multi, Polyamorous Characters, Polyamory, Probably some angst, Resident Evil 8 AU, Slow Burn, Tag As I Go, actual magic involved, because i'm bi, general fantasy au i guess, they have wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:54:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGremlin/pseuds/oliverlandomens
Summary: Adaeze has spent hundreds of years trying to give younger vampires a better life than they would've had in the colonies and other places, and now that has landed her in the service of Lady Alcina Dimitrescu.
Relationships: Alcina Dimitrescu (Resident Evil)/Original Female Character(s), Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 29





	Trust Is Worth A Thousand Words

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this for days and physically do not have the energy to edit this any more lmao. This is my first time writing in a long time so like, it's bound to be a little awkward, I'm sorry.

Adaeze just wanted the best for her kids, and so far she'd found herself coming a little bit short.

It hadn't been too hard getting clothes and such for them. That was easy. Most were young enough, still short and small like human children would be.

It was getting food and blood. This new land was cold and game was hard to find, and feathers for arrows were scarce. It hadn't been too long ago that they'd ended up in a seemingly endless winter land, ground covered in varying amounts of snow. Tonight, however, they'd gotten lucky in coming across two deer. "Go on and git some dry sticks, and take everyone" had been her directions to the oldest three children just after the second animal had fallen into the snow. The youngest one did not need to see what happened to the animals.

Having walked less than a few feet to her left the young mother pushed through some close trees, ducking under their branches and pulling the deer through. A clearing. It was surrounded by surprisingly dense trees on all sides. A tree had even fallen over at some point, the log leftover splitting the rounded off area in a near 1:3 ratio. It would do. Soon after there were little signs that deer had ever been killed in the area, or that anybody had walked anywhere.

By the time her kids had returned she was sitting down on the log, nearly done with cleaning the hides.

"Where was you? Night's half done." Her tone was simple, light but firm.

"Sorry, momma. We was out looking for sticks like yous asked us to when Adannaya saw some humans and made us hide." The voice wasn't incredibly small, but their breaths were fast enough to indicate fear. A mother should not like fear in children.

"...get started on the fire, all of you, except you, Nwabundo." No anger, only a slightly sharper pronunciation of a name came from Adaeze's mouth. When she saw she had the eldest boys attention she continued. "Help Ada keep watch of that fire."

"...yes'm."

Adaeze waved the young man off as she got up to hang the previously cleaned hide, the meat already separated amongst the snowy ground. '...we need to cook as much meat as we can and get out of here....' Feathers dragged behind her as she turned around and swung her legs over the log to face the other direction, huge, sun colored wings sat upon the woman's back, with black feathers closest to the bone. A color combination that contrasted against almond colored skin. It was a physical opposite to her hair that was all black except for a section of blonde that covered her left eye. She sighed and closed her eyes, the hide down on the log beside her. It was hard not worry. If the humans they saw earlier were hunters...

"Momma?" Enitan had walked over to his mother and gently shaken her shoulder.

"Hm? Yes baby?" Opening her eyes she looked up at the young boy.

"The fire's done...is you okay?"

She gave a small smile. "I'm good, now help me get the meat on there so we can get to eatin." Stepping around her now excited son she headed towards the meat, picking up a few pieces before gently laying in on a stick frame that, she assumed, Nwabundo had suggested they make. "Enitan?"

"Yes momma?"

"What'd those humans look like? Smell?"

"...they wasn't carryin much but sacks, not many of 'em. Few men wit bows but they wasn't dressed like no hunter's I ever seen." Enitan placed more meat over the fire like he'd seen Adaeze do. She made a mental note of it. "They ain't see us, ain't even look our way...was dressed little likes us too." The young boy sat on his knees and thought a bit. "Ain't smell like hunter's either, they blood ain't smell angry."

Maybe they could stay in the clearing a little long-...noise. Rustling.

Adaeze quickly stood, Adannaya running over and standing back to back with her mother. The remaining four of her children put their hands the handles of various knives and scythes. She did not have to turn when Nwabundo tossed her the quiver and then the hunting bow. Without much thought she pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back and aimed. Aimed towards decisive steps.

Laughter. It was...childish, but it only served to put everyone further on edge. For a moment there was loud buzzing from three directions, the stopping only unnerving the group more.

Adaeze watched as a pale woman in a cream colored dress ducked under the tree branches and into the clearing, black hat obscuring their face. Altogether fancier than the simple brown pants and white shirts the group was in.

"Well well...what do we have here?" Taller, by at least a foot and a half. Adaeze watched the figure as they stood up straight, not once relaxing, not even if the artificial sweetness of the voice made her nearly do so. Golden eyes seemed to pierce through her skin. It was like she was on display again, the thought scaring her. It only made her tense up and get ready to take the shot.

"We ain't got no problem with nobody, and I'd like to keep that goin. If y'all want the hides take 'em. We needs the meat."

"The sun will be up soon. Come with me." Kindness? or a kind of delicate forcefulness?

Something told Adaeze this woman wasn't normally kind.

"I ain't got a reason to trust you."

"This is -my- land, I don't have to trust you either. There are hunters in this area, however, and I would hate for these precious children to get hurt, wouldn't you?" A smile from the taller, and presumably, older woman. A rare offer.

Relaxing her shoulders and lowering her arms, she let the arrow be loosely aimed at the ground. "I apologize...and yes, I suppose it would be. I...I uh, I'm Adaeze." She put the arrow back in the quiver and once her arm was back by her side, snapped and pointed to the ground. There was no need for her to look around to know if her children had gone back to tending to the meat and whatever else they'd happened to be doing.

"Lady Alcina Dimitrescu." Spoken like a fact.

She didn't know what her physical reaction must've been, but it was obvious, as she could see shock on Lady Dimitrescu's face. Shock, disappointment, confusion, no anger. And while she'd finally realized she hadn't looked at the other figures she knew was there, the woman's presence didn't make her feel like she need to.

"...okay. We'll come with." Adaeze kept her grip on her bow just in case, but at the same time she figured that if this 'Lady Dimitrescu' wanted her dead she wouldn't be here to have nearly been lost in her thoughts. Turning around she whistled, getting the young ones attentions. "Get the meat and hides. Cover that fire with snow. We was never here." A nod satisfied her so she nodded back. Silent, but effective.

"...momma?" Adannaya spoke as she gathered everyone's belongings.

Adaeze slipped the bow over her wings and looked behind her. "This ain't the time to be askin questions."

"...but where we going?"

"...wait n' see, okay?"

It was after looking away from her daughter and observing the other's that she finally looked the other women closer to the edges of the open space. They appeared to all be wearing black dresses, faces caked in blood. The blonde one had a sickle in hand and an expression that looked like a deep and seething anger. What for Adaeze might never know. It was only now that she glanced between them again, noticing necklaces and the like, and their different hair colors. Too different to make them related. The brunette just looked antsy, as if she wanted to get home, whatever home even was for her. The redhead however....did she know her? She would've studied her face longer had the fire not suddenly been put out and there'd not been a loud clap from behind her.

"You have some -wonderful- children, Adaeze."

For the first time in awhile she'd been given a genuine compliment, and as happy as that made Adaeze it also unsettled her just a bit.

"I-...thank you." She'd turned around slightly to respond, but would look back at her kids to make sure they were actually done. "Where's everythin?"

Somadina spoke up, her voice cracking a little under the new presences. "Nwabundo and Enitan got the meat. I got the hides."

"I have everything that ain't yours." Having tied all of the bags together using rope, Adannaya kept the bags over her shoulders. Two over her back and two over her shoulders. Her wings were angled in a way that would keep the bags from slipping.

After picking up her own bag she turned around and nearly made eye contact Lady Dimitrescu, the woman appeared to have been staring at her wings. "...Lady Dimitrescu? They ready."

"Good," Lady Dimitrescu smiled and looked up, "Follow me. Daniela, Bianca, Victoria, I want all you at the back. They are our guests, are we understood?" She did not wait for an answer, and Adaeze noticed.

Instead of watching the young women move around Adaeze spread her wings and let her kids stand on either side of her, keeping themselves protected in her wings. When Lady Dimitrescu walked around her and moved outside of the clearing they followed. The walk itself was easy, some mumbling coming from the young woman behind her.

For the most part the younger mother studied the environment around her, eventually spotting a village in the distance through trees that honestly looked to be completely the same. It didn't seem to be worth asking about. She didn't stare long. As they were walking up an impressive castle came into view, surely giving the newcomers more questions than answers Adaeze noticed something she hadn't truly taken notice of before.

"Lady Dimitrescu?" She wasn't loud in trying to get the other's attention.

"Yes?" Alcina's voice invited whatever was going to be brought up in a way that almost prompted Adaeze to speak up faster.

"I hope this ain't beyond me to be bringin up, but are you missin flight feathers?" Harmless curiosity, or so she hoped. "I ain't gotta know I just...I might can help, if you want it."

"Hm..." was the only response the younger vampire received, paired with the slight ruffling of midnight black feathers. A forbidden subject.

She watched as the other woman pushed the front doors to the castle open with ease. She'd hadn't noticed it while walking up, but for a castle, the outside was surprisingly barren. There wasn't a groundskeeper of any sort, no winter plants, no...people. Stepping inside the castle was another experience as first off, she had to duck slightly to not hit the top of her head on the doorframe and lower her wings so they were not bent back. She'd notice her kind(?) host had to do something similar.

Following her further into the open space Adaeze noticed other things. The armor to the right, fancy stairs to the left, with couches closest to the armor and a chandelier bigger than any she'd ever seen before. She'd never seen so much glass or light, and that despite the light coming form it and candles on the railing of the staircase the space was still dimly lit. It reminded her a little of...there, the lighting. Similarly enough there was no space for gliding or flying.

"Take a seat, my daughters will go tell our maids we have new guests and that they're to show you to your rooms."

There was a huff from behind Adaeze, reminding her that there were indeed people behind them. How she forgot they were there she didn't know, but there was loud buzzing for a moment before silence fell once more.

Adaeze let her children sit down on the couch she'd been motioned to sit down on, Adannaya standing next to her.

Lady Dimitrescu smoothed her dress down before sitting opposite of them, and if she was confused as to why her guest had chosen to stand behind the couch while her younger children sat on the couch, it wasn't shown nor brought up. Instead she smiled. All that could truthfully be gathered from Alcina's expression was that she was impressed.

When maids did finally come down they introduced themselves as they were instructed to do, never properly making eye contact with any of the creatures in the room. After they left with the four children plus Adannaya that had been down there Adaeze walked around and sat down on the couch, having only really taken note of how the maids appeared fearful of their lady. Once it was just the two mother's Lady Dimitrescu spoke up.

"Now, your name is Adaeze, correct? You are welcome to stay in my castle as long as you like. In return I ask that you become my personal handmaiden unless, that is, you think you know of a better place for yourself. Whenever you are speaking to me you are to refer to me as 'my lady' or 'mistress', nothing else. My daughter's as 'miss'. Understand?"

Adaeze had to swallow her pride. "Yes, my lady."

Alcina tilted her head a bit, leaning her head on a hand. "Good. Furthermore, you are allowed access to most of the castle excluding my daughter's rooms and the cellar. If you choose to fly you must always return. Your orders will always come from me, not from my daughters, and any orders from them you can ignore. I have no interest in what you do with the other maids. Perfection and timeliness are expected. I also expect you to speak properly while in my presence. Your children are completely safe here." Tilting her head forward prompted a response.

"Yes, my lady." Adaeze took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She was not there. Lady Dimitrescu was not them. "If I can suggest a different place for me to be, is there a music room of sorts? I can play a few instruments....even sing a little if anybody wants me to be- wants me to do that."

"...I will think about it. You will start your duties at six every evening and one of the maids you saw this morning will help you get ready for the first few nights." She watched the woman she was to serve stand up, only now noticing the grace with which she moved, more so as they walked over to the stairs. "Come."

It was without hesitation that Adaeze quickly got up and followed."...my lady?"

"Hm?"

"My lady, what if someone steps on my wings or tailfeathers? Or in any other way hurts them? I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions, my lady..."

There was a slight hum as Alcina thought of a response as it wasn't something she'd given much though to as she'd yet to deal with the problem herself. It was -her- castle after all, but Adaeze was a servant, not the lady. "If they are a maid then they will be punished as all maids who make a mistake are."

"....thank you, my lady."

The rest of the walk through the castle was spent in silence, neither woman feeling the need to talk.

"This will be your room, with the gold-winged angel on the door. There should already be clothes in the wardrobe." And before Adaeze could respond or ask any questions, her lady was gone and there was a key in her hand.

Sighing about her new situation Adaeze decided to open the door and walk inside the room, simply closing the door behind her. Her bedroom was bigger than any room she'd seen before, well furnished with items worth more than her mere existence, and with big windows that offered a view of the mountain range she hadn't properly noticed before. Placing her key down on a nightstand next to the left of her bed she placed her sack down, starting to undress out of clothes she'd worn for many years uncounted.

Once she'd realized that the bathroom was through a door directly opposite of the door to her room she figured the very least she could do was clean up. Everything was different to what she used to. Soft towels, candles, good smelling soap. The running water confused her the most. None of these things stopped her from bathing, of course, poor woman was just confused the whole time.

Out of the bath was also an experience. The towels. Adaeze barely registered the towels against her skin or when she wrapped one around her head to dry her washed hair. Eventually dry she opened the wardrobe, noting what was likely to be daywear and what was most definitely a small collection of nightgowns. Reaching in she grabbed a white one. Pulling it down over her head she smoothed it down over her body. It'd been easy enough to get her wings through otherwise hidden holes in the back.

"Slightly big..."

Sighing, she opened her sack and reached past everything in it to pull out another sack, one which she put her dirty clothes in and towels on top of. Old habits eventually resurfaced, didn't they?

Laying down on the bed she began to think. In fact, during her time in the room, Adaeze had already begun to come to terms and be comfortable with her new life might bring. Lady Dimitrescu, so far, had proved to be kind to her. She was safe. Her kids were safe. Sure, it was in exchange for her working, but that was a lot better than what would've happened not even ten years ago. Separated and lost to each other.

For once, she felt comfortable enough to sleep through the day.

**Author's Note:**

> In case some thing's weren't clear Adannaya is the oldest, then Nwabundo, Enitan, and Somadina.
> 
> Also Adaeze is 7'9.
> 
> Exact character ages will be mentioned as they are relevant and character detail is probably gonna be handled the same way.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked this half-sleep written first chapter.


End file.
